The World Cup would qualify as a super-event in the eyes of an event organizer with an entire country needed to pull it off. We look at how things have been going in Brazil for the 2014 event and lessons that event organizers can use for their (slightly) smaller events.

It amazing to think that it takes 8+ years of preparation for a month long event, but that is the case with World Cups and Olympics. While event organizers work on a shorter timeline and with much less resources, we can learn from Brazil. Here are a few lessons we noticed that you can apply to your meeting or conference. 

Stay Within Your Means

It seems to happen for every worldwide event: the budget is obliterated well before the event even starts. When an entire country is behind you, that is possible. For event organizers working on a slightly smaller scale, this can't happen. Brazil's World Cup has taught us that its important to manage expectations and meet your goals within budget. For event organizers, this means finding and spending precious capital on things that matter and that will add value to the overall event experience. 

Keep Your Attendees Together

Soccer/Futbol fans from all over world flock to a host country to see the World Cup, but the on-field product is only part of the experience. Half the fun and benefit is meeting people from all over the world. For conferences and events, that means making sure you focus on experience beyond your sessions. Make sure your attendees spend as much time socializing and building real, lasting relationships.

The City Matters As Much As the Venue 

Brazil has built some amazing stadiums, but where they are located matter just as much. Choosing a host city means finding the right mix of convenience, culture, entertainment, and resources beyond just finding a venue that fits. Your attendees will spend just as much time outside the doors of your venue as in it - make sure you consider that when building your event experience.

No Matter What, the Content Makes the Most Impact

At the end of the day, Brazil's World Cup will be remembered for what happened on the field. Similarly, your event will ultimately be judged by the content you spread. For companies, its important to know they are getting a good return on their investment and building creative, engaging sessions is usually the best way to make sure that happens.

If you are like us, you will miss the World Cup, but there are plenty of chances to use the lessons from it in your upcoming events. Have any additional lessons learned? Send them to info@eventedge.co and we may include you on our next blog post.